National Development Agenda

for Trinidad and Tobago

Ministry of Planning and the Economy
UNDP Workshop on Trinidad and Tobago
Country Strategy Action Plan 2012 2015
Crowne Plaza, Port of Spain
August 2
nd
2011
SEVEN INTERCONNECTED PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has developed a
National Policy built on the premise of Prosperity for All.
Within this context, seven interconnected pillars outline
the sustainable framework that will propel the countrys
economic development.
Sustainable Development Framework
Prosperity for all is the commitment
7
Pillars
National Policy
SEVEN INTERCONNECTED PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT contd
SEVEN INTERCONNECTED PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT contd
People Centered Development focuses on improving our education
system and maintaining a seamless link for continuous learning.
Poverty Eradication and Social Justice introduces strategies to reduce
the income inequality that exists and provide a social safety net for the
poor and vulnerable;.
National And Personal Security centers on human security and the
maintenance of law and order. Addressing the social conditions that serve
as incubators for criminal activity and the reform of the prison and justice
systems will be critical.
Information and Communication Technologies serves as the backbone
which supports our educated population, maintains effective
communication locally and globally and promotes timely information
sharing and management.
A More Diversified, Knowledge Intensive Economy emphasizes the
expansion of other productive sectors in the economy through the
continued development of existing sectors and the establishment of new
areas that span the creative, technological and manufacturing sectors.
Good Governance focuses on ensuring transparency, accountability
participation and effective representation through institutional
strengthening, enhancing democracy and strengthening execution and
delivery capacity.
Foreign Policy maintains and develops bilateral and multilateral
relations ensuring that our foreign policy supports our objectives for the
achievement of sustainable development.
SEVEN INTERCONNECTED PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT contd
The initiatives outlined in each of these seven (7) pillars are
designed to engineer a significant policy shift with positive
consequences for the sustainable development of the country.
This shift will be evident in terms of the following:
The implementation of all development initiatives in the context of
a sustainable land use and physical planning framework.
Greater emphasis on people-centred development, particularly
through efforts to increase the levels of participation in education
(particularly higher education) coupled with the creation of jobs on
a sustainable basis. These efforts will be complemented by a
poverty reduction strategy and integrated social welfare support.
THE 7 PILLARS POLICY SHIFTS
A significant reduction in crime and improvements in personal
security and the justice system
Rejuvenation of the agriculture sector to achieve food security with
the emphasis on water resources management, improving
productivity and enhancing sustainable development practices
Sustainable diversification of the economy with the focus being on
alternative energy and new knowledge and creative industries
Greater citizen participation and more meaningful local
government
More responsible and responsive Government with greater
emphasis on transparency and accountability
THE 7 PILLARS POLICY SHIFTS
Achieving Prosperity for All requires a change in approach to
policy planning
The emphasis is not on broad based development initiatives but on
the design of policy actions that meet the needs of the individual
throughout his/her life cycle, the family/household, the community
and the region
NEW APPROACH TO POLICY PLANNING
RANKING OF ISSUES
BASED ON RECENT POLLS OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TODAY
Crime/Law and Order/Vandalism 93%
Inflation/Prices especially food prices 34%
Health/Hospitals 34%
Unemployment/Jobs 32%
Poverty/Inequality 16%
Low pay/wages 16%
Economy 13%
Housing 12%
Roads 11%
Education/Schools 9%
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Governments Priorities for the Medium term have been
identified based on the following imperatives:
Building a new and diversified economy driven by
knowledge and innovation
Building human capital and
Addressing basic needs of citizens and areas of pressing
national concern
The five (5) priorities for the medium-term are:
- Law and Order and Crime Reduction
- Food Security
- Health and Hospitals
- Job Creation and Economic Transformation
- Human Capital Development
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Law and Order and Crime Reduction are essential to improve the confidence level
in the economy and increase investment and economic activity.
Key Initiatives:
- Adoption of a 21st Century Transformation Service Delivery Model that is ensures the
Police Service is responsive and proactive and includes a blend of intelligence led and
community policing
- Address critical issues in the Criminal Justice System as they relate to prevention,
detection, prosecution, detention, rehabilitation and reintegration
Use of technology as a Crime Fighting Tool and in training and development and
information management
Establishment of a special Criminal Court to treat with drugs, arms, kidnapping and
narcotic offences
Review of the Prison System
Reduction of the backlog and the disposal rates of cases in the Court System
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Health and Hospitals - Quality and accessible health care is a basic necessity and
pivotal to the social and economic development of the country given that there is
an inextricable link between the health of the population and productivity.
Key Initiatives:
Recruitment of Professional Staff
Construction and Refurbishment of Health Care Facilities across the country
Exploring specialised niches for medical care (eg; oncology, neurosurgery)
Introduction of Integrated Health Information Management Systems
Promotion of a Healthy Lifestyle through a preventive approach/a strategy to deal with
non-communicable diseases
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Food Security is creating a state where all people at all times have physical and
economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs
and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Policy mandates :
Reducing the food import bill (increasing local food production)
Reducing inflation primarily driven by food prices
Creating sustainable , long term, productive employment (upgrading
infrastructure &removal of constraints to farmers)
Contributing to the diversification of the economy
Increasing the countrys food security
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Economic Transformation- diversification of the domestic economy depends on
finding sector niches that offer the country real opportunities to create value and
develop businesses that have strong long term growth prospects and create jobs.
In the traditional sectors such as Agriculture, Tourism and Manufacturing we must
find niche areas and develop new products and services as well as new processes
and marketing networks through the use of local knowledge, talent and resources.
The Small and Micro-Enterprise (SME) sector has the ability to be a major source
of job creation and efforts must be place towards the expansion of this sector.
The Creative Industry is a sector that is vital to economic transformation, not only
of its linkage to defining our tourism product but it has the ability to be a
significant foreign exchange earner for the country.
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Essential to achieving Economic Transformation are :
The formulation of the National Innovation Policy and the
development of the National Innovation System
Increased Private Sector investment in Research and
Development
The formulation and implementation of an Investment Policy, a
Services Strategy and an Export Strategy with attraction of
investment in each area to support diversification
Productivity Growth, Competitiveness and Innovation are
at the core of the new Economic Strategy
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Human Capital Development entails not only making strategic
investments in the education and health sectors but also in the areas of
Poverty Reduction and Human Resource Development.
Poverty Reduction efforts are based on a two fold approach:
Strategy 1: empowerment of the poor through education and training
as well as the creation of new income earning opportunities;
Strategy 2: providing an effective social safety net for the most
vulnerable to meet their immediate basic needs.
Wealth creation is critical for poverty reduction and can be achieved
through the development of entrepreneurial initiatives, business
creation and investment
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
Human Resource Development is one of the keys of Global Competiveness; i.e. the
development of an innovative, creative people willing to assume risk in creating
and taking advantage of opportunities for wealth creation.
Key Initiatives:
Establishment of a Labour Market Information System
Conduct of a Labour Market Information Study
Review of the GATE Programme has been initiated with a view to rationalizing
public expenditure and developing a strategy for expanding the programme to
include Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
PRIORITIES FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM
SOME KEY ELEMENTS OF THE WORK PROGRAMME OF THE
MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND THE ECONOMY
Develop a National Policy Framework in two phases:
2011 - 2014
2014 2017
Identify a national agenda of priorities and facilitate linkages with
local government priorities and community initiatives for the 2011-
2012 FY
Align Ministerial Agendas for high impact with the framework of a
sustainable development strategy
Strengthen the national data base and information management
system to support evidence-based policy making and decision
support
Develop a national land use policy to support a sustainable
development agenda
Facilitate and fuel an innovation-driven economy by specific
initiatives and collaborative action with the private sector
Strengthen project management capability to ensure efficiency,
effectiveness and high performance in the execution of the
PSIP
Reform Town and Country Planning
SOME KEY ELEMENTS OF THE WORK PROGRAMME OF
THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND THE ECONOMY
UNDP COOPERATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
The UNDP as a development partner with Trinidad and
Tobago has provided invaluable assistance over the years
and made significant contributions in the areas of:
National Development Policy
Poverty alleviation and Sustainable Human Development
Environment
Health - HIV/AIDS
Strengthening Development and Planning Capacity
Good Governance
Establishment of National Institutions (CARIRI, IMA, EMA)
UNDP COOPERATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
The assistance is provided through:
Services of advisory expert/consultants
Services of operational experts
Services of UN Volunteers
Equipment and Supplies
Seminars, Training Programmes etc.
UNDP COOPERATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
In 2004, as a high middle income country, Trinidad
and Tobago graduated to Net Contributing Country
status, and as a result grant funding is no longer
available.
All costs for delivery of technical assistance to
Trinidad and Tobago have to be borne by the
Government funding for projects and
programmes would be accommodated under the
Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP)
PRIORITIES FOR PSIP
Priorities for the PSIP are based on the following:
Alignment with the 7 pillars of development and national
priorities
Impact of projects on the quality of life of individuals and
communities
Impact on job creation
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